I am still looking for renters and I am wondering if it is necessary for me to get a property manager since I live far away. sometimes there are random things that need to be taken care of that I can't do right away since I do not live close.

I'd recommend considering the East Bay.Here are my random thoughts: no flipping unless you're experienced.

I’m also putting together my “dream” team and interviewing attorneys, title companies, lenders, real estate brokers, contractors and magicians so I’ll be fully prepared when the 100 postcards I send out to randomly selected people results in the 14 offers to sell their notes that represents the average 14% response rate to junk mailings. 

@Minh Vuif you have to ask random people on the Internet... pass

For a 5 bed, 3 bath house, it may be difficult to get random travel nurses to all share a 5 bedroom place.  

Buying a random cornfield somewhere really isn't likely to attract a data center buyer not any related interest.

if you buy something random on the MLS it's probably not going to cash flow. which might be okay depending on your strategy. but it sounds like you're getting under contract and then trying to get the price down and / or get repairs made. 

Random calls, voicemails, and invoices from maintenance vendorsC.

I would not trust random people on the internet  LOLmy guess though is you do.. their might be a few states were you don't need a license but not many if any is my thought on it.  

Wrote letter to random individual How did you finance this deal?